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Renting or Buying Pressure WashersPowerful Washers Often Needed After Floods, Other Natural Disasters
Guidelines for selecting a pressure water to remove outdoor grime, mold and oil stains after natural disasters, or to handle year-round surface cleanups.
Natural disasters such as floods, mud slides, tornadoes and storms often leave behind volumes of grime, mold, oil stains and dirt that can best be cleaned with pressure washers. That’s all in addition to the normal grime that accumulates and requires periodic special cleaning around a residence or business. Consumers have several options for handling these cleanings. They can:
Hiring a firm to do the cleaning makes sense if money is not an issue, if pressure washers are not available to rent or buy, or if age, skill or safety might limit the family's use of a washer. A natural disaster can accelerate demand for washers. Numerous Decisions Involved in Purchasing a Pressure WasherIf a family or firm decides to rent or purchase a pressure washer, it then faces a series of options regarding the best unit to obtain. The renter’s options may be limited considerably by the variety of units actually available, as well as the immediate cleaning need. Buying a pressure washer requires the most consideration because the equipment probably represents a sizable investment and the uses can vary considerably over the years. Skill and safety might also be issues to be considered. PSI x GPM = Cleaning UnitsLike its competitors, Craftsman offers basic pressure washer guidelines in its brochure. It says the pressure washer options start with size and power:
The higher the PSI and GPM, the more cleaning the washer can do. The best measurement, however, is the washer’s CU, its cleaning units. This is determined by multiplying the PSI times the GPM. Example: 2000 PSI times 2.2 GPM gives 4400 cleaning units. PSIs Range from 1500 to 3400Craftsman, for instance, offers 10 different models with maximum GPM ranges from 1.3 to 2.8. The PSI ratings range from 1500 to 3400. They are divided into light duty units (1400 to 2200 PSI), medium duty (2250-2600 PSI) and heavy duty (2650-plus PSI). The light duty units are recommended for vehicles, stairs, walkways, patio furniture, fences, garage floors, decks, patios, driveways and house siding, unless any of those have heavy oil stains. The medium duty units are designed to handle all the above, plus tough oil stains and paint preparation. It is also powerful enough to reach second story outside areas. The heavy duty units are considered too strong for cleaning vehicles, but they can handle all the other jobs. The smaller units may be electric powered. The larger ones will have gasoline engines. Some Spray Nozzles Can be AdjustedThe pressure washer probably comes with basic spray nozzles, but the buyer may want to add some of the more precise nozzles with tips designed for specialized jobs. Some nozzles can be adjusted to provide varying strength sprays. The buyer must also determine what brand of motor or engine is preferred for the pressure washer. Briggs and Stratton, Honda and Tecumseh are among the most popular gasoline engines. Other issues to be considered are the time and skill required to use the washer, as well as safety risks. Pressure washers are powerful units that can cause damage and injury if out of control. A plastic cover is recommended if the washer cannot be stored inside a building. In 2008, residential electric pressure washers were priced in the $100 to $300 range. Gasoline units ranged from $250 to $600.
The copyright of the article Renting or Buying Pressure Washers in Home Management is owned by Carroll Trosclair. Permission to republish Renting or Buying Pressure Washers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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